Though the Detroit Red Wings haven’t made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in several years, they hope to make progress in that direction this season. Many so-called experts feel that the team does not have a shot to make the postseason this year, however if their performance through 3 games is any indication, those individuals may be proven wrong. In the season opener, Ville Husso shutout the Montreal Canadiens 3-0. In addition, the Red Wings added several pieces to improve both offense and defense. If these new additions actually accomplish what they were meant to, this team could definitely exceed expectations.
One of the most prominent aspects of the game in which the Red Wings struggled last year was scoring. Unfortunately, the Red Wings ranked near the bottom of the league in this category. They only scored 230 goals in 2022, while giving up 312 goals. The team gave up an average of 4 goals per game, while only scoring two goals a game. It goes without saying that you won’t win many games with those kind of stats, and the Red Wings didn’t. To alleviate these scoring woes, the team signed David Perron, who in 2021, scored 27 goals, had 30 assists, and 57 points for the St. Louis Blues. In addition, this season he has 3 goals in 3 games for the Wings. Scoring issues will further diminish, providing that guys like Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond can duplicate their 2021 season performances. Both had stellar seasons in scoring, assists, and, points. If all of these players perform up to their expectations, this team may just find themselves in the playoff hunt.
The Red Wings also did not help their cause at the defensive end of the ice. In 2021, they only killed off 73.8 percent of the penalties called against them. This means the opposition scored on about 33 percent of their power plays. To put this in perspective, the Wings ranked last in the NHL in killing penalties. However, though a small sample size, through 3 games this season, the team has yet to give up a Powerplay goal. Conversely, they have been unable to score on their own poweplays. Defensive play can also be bolstered when goaltenders perform well. To improve at this position, the Red Wings signed goaltender Ville Husso, who had a 2.69 Goals Against Average with a .914 Save Percentage with the St. Louis Blues in 2021. In 2 games in Detroit, he has accumulated a 2.50 Goals Against Average and has given up a total of 5 goals. If these defensive trends continue, this team should be on track for a successful season.
When Steve Yzerman came to Detroit from having success with the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Club, expectations for this team were instantly heightened. It was apparent that Wings fans put their full trust in Steve’s ability to turn this team’s fortunes around. Despite a lack of success at the beginning of Yzerman’s tenure, with the hiring of Derek Lelonde, and a few new player acquisitions on both sides of the puck, it appears the Red Wings are headed for bigger and better things.
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